Lamp posts were a subject of Balla's work as early as 1900–1901. The iconography of a stylized street lamp appeared in a commercial poster in 1910, though it is not known if this work influenced Balla or vice versa. Other sources state that he was inspired to paint after seeing Rome's first electric street lights, the design of which were then universally regarded as looking passéist.
Though dated 1909, Street Light was most likely painted in the latter half of 1911, following Balla's rejection from an art exhibition in Milan. Fellow Futurist Umberto Boccioni encouraged Balla to continue his efforts in Futurism, with an eye to the 1912 Futurist exhibition at the Bernheim-Jeune Gallery in Paris. Though the work is mentioned in the catalog for that exhibition, it was not actually displayed there. The painting was later exhibited by Balla in 1928.
The acquisition of the painting by the Museum of Modern Art in New York was publicly announced on October 17, 1954. The painting, catalogued as object number 7.1954, was included in exhibitions in 1954–55, 1961, 1964, 1971, 1984, and 2012–13. As of 2013, it was not on permanent display.The museum also houses a pencil-and-ink study that Balla made for the painting.
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